Automobile fender



C. W. ERVIN.

AU TOMOBILE FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2'. 1921.

1,435,3 3, Patented Nov. 14,1922

/ 44-1 v INVENTORr CHARLES W. ERVINI' v 3r.- QwM-. I

Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

CHARLES w. ERVIN, 01* L08 enemas, oamronnm.

AUTOMOBILE FENDER.

Application filed septemberfl, 1921. Serial No. 497,825.

To all whom it may concern .Be it known that I, CHARLES W.;Env1N, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have :invented a new anduseful Automobile Fender, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to devices placed on the front end ofautomobiles to prevent fiCCl".

dents. I 1 I p One of the objects of this inventionisto provide a device which will catch'a pedestrian in the position which the pedestrian I(iccupied when theautomobile struck or hit 1m Another which will catch and hold a pedestrian in the position in which the automobile. ap proached. and struck the pedestrian, so asto make it impossible that the automobile can run or pass over the pedestrian.

Another object is to provide adevice which I will close and engage around a pedestrian by arm-like members, swingably mountedl in a practically horizontal plane, so as to normally engage over-the sides of a pedes-' trian and in a position to holdthe pedestrian'in this ground. I g, v

Other objects will appear-from the following description and appended claims as well as from the accompanying drawing, in

.Fig. l is aitop view of. the device, wheelsfland chassis of an automobile being f but it will easily be understood that thede indicated in dotted lines to illustrate the v rel.

ative position of the device to an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device with a fragmentary illustration" in dotted lines of an automobile to show the relative position of the device to theiautomobila- Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device in nearly closed position. 1

- Fig. 4 is across sectionthrough the lock.- ini' mechanism on line 44 of Fig. 3.

ig. 5 is a cross section throughthe locking mechanism on line .5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 isa' cross section through the lockmechanism online 6-6 01? Fig. 1..

lig. 7- is a top plan'view of. the locking and engaging shaft for. holdingthe' Whole object is to provide a device position supported above the lo wer supporting fender to illustrate the dropping of the fender when the supporting arms close in on apedestrian.

' iWith front fenders'of this type it is im mechanism in catching and receiving posiig. 9 is a detail front elevation of a i portant that the device he provided with" means for holdin va pedestrian in a support ing manner as we 1 as for holdingthe pedes trlan againstfalling from thedevice after.

being caught, since a; pedestrian is liableto be stunned or in a' faintingcondition, not able to support or hold himself to the fender. I Fenders can only be built or made of alimited sizeto not project too far from the front of automobiles or street cars or other vehicles, since theyiwould otherwise enbeing. caught, especially if the pedestrian is stunnedor in a faintingcondition;

Themain principle of-this invention is therefore to provide a device which will immediately take, hold of a pedestrian on strikisliable to be thrown fromthe fender after ing or hitting so that the pedestrian will be firmly held by the device... a

the chassis. It might therefore appear that the device is only to beused onautomobiles,

, In Fig-1,10; designates'the front wheels of an automobile, 11 the rear wheels, and 12 vice may be used on street carsand other the descriptiomclaims, and drawing should mainly be considered regardless of the 'vehicle on which the device ,is being .used. I

A frame 13 is providedand designed to be mounted on the front end of a vehicle. 'l he main supporting arms l l and 15 are plvotally engaged 1at.16 with the frame The arms 14 and" l 5-ar preferably spring-controlled, the end of a spring being indicated I at 17 in Fig. 2, so that the-arms are normally under. the tensionof such springs, to, be.

th er swung together, orv towards one I to bring'the upper ends-o1 the lugs 19' into the'path ot-the SVVlDglIWflIHlS 1 1 and 15, as

trated in Fig. 1. Lugs. 18' s'erve to hold=thearms Hand 15 against movement beyond their catching position in Which they are.

illustrated in *;i-g. 1.- Other lugs 19a1'efprovided on the levers 20 to projectthrough the portions-21otthe frame 13 into the path of the arms l l and 15 to prevent thegarms from,

collapsing beforethe proper time. The arms or levers20 are spring-controlled as indicatedat'22- in Fi 5. By'the action and tension of the springs 22, the levers 20 are normally held in their uppermost positions indicated and -illustrated 'in 1.-

The levers 20, are movedout of such interfering or-locking position by the cams. 23, seeFigs. 5 and-7. The cams mounted on a common shaft 24C With the locking lever.

25; A spring 26'servcs to automattcally move the shaft and thereby thelocking lever and the cams from the, set or looking position:v

Another lever 27- is pivotally mounted-at 28 on the front portion2-1of thetrame. The lever 27 connects With the operating braces,

or at least to one of-them, through the rod 29; The brace 3O is provided With a socket in the-front end so that, theibr ace 31 canen gagewithin this socket for holdingthe arms These braces, 30 and 31 are in a position to hita pedestrian first. On hitting a pedes; trian, the braces fold easily against the arms 14-and15as illustrated inFig 3. On foldQ ing or moving towards the arms 141-; and; 15,

The moving of, the lever 27, around, its

pivot at 28 causes the lever 27-to dis V I V Y A releasing-of thelever 25 allo vs the spring-26 to" turn. the shaft 24. with the lever 25' andthe cams 23, thereby causing the cams to turn to the posiengage from the leverl25.

tion illustratedin Fig. 5. he actions of the cams on the levers 20 'cause a ithdrawal of theflugs19 in front of-thearmsM- and 15 The arms l l' andl5 a rein this manner re lease dland-free to swing centrally to the position' in Which they are illustr ated'in; Fig. 3.

The cushioning members 32, 33, 3 lland- 35 are provlde'd'on' the arms 14- andto reduce, the striking efi'ect when the arms engage around a pedestrian and at the same time tend to avoid injury.

At the base of the arms, near their pivot connection, locking means are preferably provided to firmly lock-the arms when enga 'ed around a pedestrian. A portion-of a ratchet Wheel is illustrated on the arm 15 in-Fig. S, and pawl 37 is provided to engage with the ratchet36. Aftervthe arms. 14 and 15 swing centrally, they are prevented from opening again untilreleased from the pavvls.

To the front portion 21 of the frame is also preferably attached a fender 38. This fender is provided to eventually support the feet of a pedestrian hen-caught irithe-device. In the illustration of Eig. 2; thefen; der can be seen in a' lifted position in relation to the device. The illustration in 9 is a front elevation of-this portion of thefender. The'arms 14L and-15are normally in the position in which they. are illustratedin Fig. 9, so that therods 39 project centrally to connect the fender portion 38 -With the arms 14 and 15. On swingingcentrallyor towardseach other, the-arms move to a position practically above the fender; por tion 33' so'that the rods hang down to such an extent that the frontend of-the fender portion 38 drops below its normal position: The position-mostfavorableforsuchjadropping of the-lower fender-- portion is indicated in dottedlines, 1(3)"indicating theposi tion of the arms 14;and15-,41-;indicating the' position otthe front end" of-the-fender portion 38, and 42 indicating the; position of the hanging rods.

Having thus described; my invention, I" claim: i

1. In an automobile fender, a f'ramehav ing means to engage with the-frontendot an automobile, arm-likememberspivotally I engagedto the frame at a: point near the I I p 7 7 front Wheels of the automobile and project Hand 15- spaced as illustrated in Fig; 1Q

ing' in a slanting direction; forwardly" in front of the automobile Wheels, contact members pivotally engaged to the free ends of the arm-like members and projecti -g" across the front of the automobileg for hold- 7 i v 1 ing the arm-like members in spaced flrelation the rod 291s pushed against the lever 27 to one another, the contact members--terminating in engaging means for holding the members across the 'front of-the automobile and adapted to disengageon hitting a ped'estr'ian, and meansfor moving the arm;li ke inembers towards' each other when a p'edestrian hits the device.

2. In an automobile fender, aframe hay-- ing means wto engage with the frontend of arm--1 ilre members pivotal-1y engaged to the frameprojecting in a slanting direction for- Wardly in front" of the autoi'nobile Wheels, contact braces pivota'llyengaged-ta the free ends of the armrlike members projecting towards one 2x301 1193 and across itheitrent fsi an automobile between the front whe el s,-

1,435,383 I I I I the automobile for holding the arm-like ing the locking means of the armlike meina,

members spaced, the contact braces termibers Whenapedestrianhits thebraces. H a nating in engaging means for holding the In testimony that I claim the foregoing braces across the front of the automobile and as my invention I have signed my name' in, e

d t d t dis ngage When hit by a pedesthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses;

bers towards each other, locking-means-for holding the arm-like members in spaced Witnesses: position and in folded position, and means O. HLKRUEGER, 10 actuated by the contact braces for disengag- JESSIE A. MANOCK.

trian, springs for moving the arm-like memi HA ERVIN i f 

